Bill Fine, WCVB-TV President And General Manager

The videotape is chilling. We see 16 year old Nga Truong in a small room -- called the box -- where two Worcester detectives accuse her of killing her toddler.

After two hours of strong denials she finally breaks down, confesses, and is sent to jail to await trial. Nearly three years later, after reviewing that videotape, a judge throws the confession out, claiming it was coerced. Prosecutors drop the charges and Nah goes free.

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WBUR investigative reporter David Boeri told the story for Chronicle last week. Without that tape Nah might have spent the rest of her life in prison, or pled out to a reduced sentence.

Her story highlights the need for legislation mandating the videotaping of all custodial interrogations in Massachusetts. It's a surefire way to reduce the number of false or coerced confessions.

It also protects police, from unfounded accusations by defendants. And it has the third advantage of increasing public trust in the work done by our law enforcement agencies.

When versions conflict on what actually happened inside the interrogation room, the video tape eliminates any doubt. A Boston Bar Association task force endorsed just such a step in 2009.

We believe that it's time for the Legislature to take up the matter. Justice may be blind in its objectivity.

But when it comes to an accused confessing to a crime ... seeing definitely helps believing.